Early Childhood Standards of Quality for ... - State of Michigan

visual arts, music, physical education,library-media, and technology.Integrated Approach: Children’s learningactivities and experiences presentedthrough projects or thematic unitsinvolving many areas of the curriculuminstead of through isolated subject areas.Learning Environment: Physicalrepresentation of the curriculum whichincludes the climate, teaching practices,and materials and equipment.Non-paid Personnel: Parents and othervolunteers.Paraprofessional: An individual whoworks under the supervision of a teacher;also, associate or assistant teacher.Parent Involvement: An early childhoodprogram component which recognizesthe central role of parents in theirchildren’s development and establishesa working partnership with each parentthrough written information, orientationto the program, home visits, and throughregular opportunities for dialogue viaparent conferences, participation onadvisory committees, needs assessments,participation as classroom volunteers, andflexible scheduling of meetings and events.Professional Development: Refers toopportunities for early childhood staff toreceive ongoing training to increase theirpreparation and skills to care for andeducate children. These include in-servicetraining, workshops, college courses anddegree programs, teacher exchanges,observations, coaching, seminars,mentoring, and credentialing programs.Program: Refers to early childhoodeducation and care settings includingDepartment of Education administeredearly childhood programs (e.g., theGreat Start Readiness Program, Title 1preschool programs, Even Start FamilyLiteracy Program, programs servingchildren with disabilities), the FederalHead Start program, community-basedfor-profit and non-profit child andpreschool programs.Program Standard: Widely acceptedexpectations for the characteristicsor quality of early childhood settingsin homes, centers and schools. Suchcharacteristics typically include the ratioof adults to children; the qualifications andstability of the staff; characteristics of adultchildrelationships; the program philosophyand curriculum model, the nature ofrelationships with families; the quality andquantity of equipment and materials; thequality and quantity of space per child, andsafety and health provisions.Public Act 116: Licensing rules for childcare centers promulgated by the authorityof Section 2 of Act Number 116 of PublicActs of 1973 to the Michigan Departmentof Social Services which set forth theminimum standards for the care andprotection of children. The rules apply toagencies, centers, or public and privateschools providing child care services (HeadStart, preschool full-day child care, beforeandafter-school, less than 24 hours) tochildren aged 2 ½ weeks to 13 years.Screening: The use of a brief procedureor instrument designed to identify, fromwithin a large population of children, thosewho may need further assessment toverify developmental and/or health risks.Standardized Assessment Tool: Atesting instrument that is administered,scored, and interpreted in a standardmanner. It may be either norm-referencedor criterion-referenced.Support Staff: Persons, whether paid orvolunteer, employed by the program insuch positions as food service, clerical,custodial, and transportation.Teacher: The qualified person assignedthe primary responsibility for planning andcarrying out the program within an earlychildhood classroom. The teacher maywork in partnership with other teachersor with paraprofessionals and hasprimary responsibility for the planning,organizing, and managing all aspects ofthe classroom learning environment; theassessment, diagnosis, and reporting ofthe individual learning and developmental142 Michigan Department of Education